Bottle holding drum structure



p 27, 1949. A. L. NELSON 2,483,059

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'AUGIE L. NELSON A TTORNE Y5 Patented Sept. 27, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,483,059 7 i I BOTTLE HOLDING DRUM STRUCTURE Augie L. Nelson, Grand Rapids Micl 1., assignor to Hayes'Manufacturing Corporation, Grand Rapids, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application October 10, 1945, Serial No. 621,409

7 Claims. 1

The invention relates to bottle dispensing apparatus of that type in which the bottles are enclosed in a refrigerating cabinet and are carried by a revoluble container therein from which they may be individually extracted. More particularly, the invention relates to the bottle holding revoluble drum or container. It is the object of the invention to obtain a construction of revoluble drum which is formed of a series of like sections adjoining and secured to each other to produce concentric cylindrical inner and outer walls and radial partitions therebetween. It is a further object to obtain a construction which can be manufactured at low cost and has various advantageous features. To this end the invention consists in the novel construction as hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of the cabinet showing in dotted lines the position of the revoluble drum or bottle container therein;

Fig. 2 is an elevation partly in section viewed from the discharge end of the drum;

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section through the drum in the plane of the axis thereof and on line 33, Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section of a portion of Fig. 2 showing a pair of the sections from which the drum is formed;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the sec-. tions;

Fig. 6 is an end elevation thereof; and

Fig. 7 is a bottom plan view. 7

A is the refrigerating cabinet and B is the bottle holding rotary drum or container therein. The latter is divided by partitions into a series of radially extending compartments, in each of which bottles are stored in a row. The bottles are extracted from the lower end of the compartments in the drum at one point in its revolution. The construction as thus far described has heretofore been used in bottle dispensing apparatus and the subjectmatter of the instant invention is the specific construction of and manner of forming the drum.

Broadly described my improved drum comprises a series of like sections, each of which is developed from a single blank of sheet metal or other suitable material. As shown in Figs. 4 to 7, inclusive,

each section 0 comprises a flat portion C for extending radially of the drum and arcuate flange portions C and C which extend oppositely from the outer and inner ends of the portion C and are concentric with the axis of the drum. In assembling the sections C the outer ends of the flanges C and C overlap the corresponding flanges of adjacent sections and are secured thereto preferably by welding. Thus, the complete series will form an annulus having inner and outer cylindrical walls and radially extending partition Walls-dividing the space into separate wedge-shaped compartments. Rows of bottles having their neck ends extending radially inward may be stored in these pockets but it is necessary to provide bearings for the outer end portions of the bottles to hold them in position when the drum is revolved. Such bearings are formed as an integral portion of the unit C by oppositely extending return bends C and C forming axially extending ribs. In other words, the ribs are formed by a substantially Z-shaped bend in the member C as illustrated in Fig. 4. The rib bearings thus formed are spaced from each other to receive a bottle therebetween and form tracks over which the bottles of the row can roll or slide towards the lower end of the drum. To permit of extraction of the bottles from the compartments at the lower end of the drum, the outer segmental flange C is restricted in length so as to leave an opening equal to the diameter of one bottle in each row. This opening is closed by a non-rotatable band surrounding the drum and which at one point provides an opening through which a bottle may be extracted in a radially outward direction. Such construction forms no part of the instant invention and is similar to that which has been previously used. However, it is necessary to construct the drum so as to permit of separating the bottle to be extracted from the other bottles in the same row. This I accomplish by forming radial slots C in the partition portion C located at the end of the segmental flange C and extending inward to the rib portion 0 This rib portion continues to the end of the portion C but the other rib C is cut away beyond the slot C The portion C is also provided with a flange C at the end thereof adjacent to the cut-away portion of the rib C The slots C provide clearance for a non-rotatable member (not shown) forming a part of the separating means (also not shown).

After all of the sections C have been assembled and attached to each other, the drum is completed by head members E and E fitting the opposite ends of the inner cylinder and secured thereto. Each of these heads has a central hub portion E for receiving an antifriction ball or roller bearing F. The body portion E of the head is preferably dished to impart strength thereto and a radially outwardly extending flange E overlaps the end of the drum. The drum is mounted upon a supporting shaft G through the medium of the bearings F, which shaft is inclined to give the desired tilt to the drum. The ends of the shaft are mounted upon a supporting 7 frame H but this construction forms no part of the invention. The end of the drum adjacent to the cut-away portions of the segmental flanges C is closed by an annular sheet metal member I welded or otherwise secured to the flanges (3 An annular sprocket J is secured to the memher I and in connection with suitable mechanism (not shown) forms a means for intermittently rotating the drum.

The drum constructed as above described can be manufactured at low cost as the sections C are developed from sheet metal or other sheet material without any drawing or stretching of such material but merely the bending of the same. These sections also include as an integral part thereof, the guide ribs C and C To permit of free circulation of the cool. air, all of the sections 0 and also the member I are provided With perforations as indicated.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. A bottle holding revoluble drum formed of a series of like sections secured to each other, each section being developed from a flat sheet to include a radially extending flat partition portion having a return bend therein projecting on one side thereof to form an axially extending rib and segmental arcuate flanges respectively at the inner and outer ends of said partition projecting on opposite sides thereof to be concentric with each other and the axis of the drum with their outer ends overlapping and secured to the corresponding flanges of adjacent sections to form solely of said sections an annulus having concentric inner and outer cylindrical Walls divided by said partition portions into separate compartments.

2. A bottle holding revoluble drum formed of a series of like sections secured to each other, each section being developed from a flat sheet to include a radially extending flat partition portion having return bends therein projecting from opposite sides thereof to form axially extending ribs and segmental arcuate flanges respectively at the inner and outer ends of said partition projecting on opposite sides thereof to be concentric with each other and the axis of the drum with their outer ends overlapping and secured to the corresponding flanges of adjacent sections.

3. A bottle holding revoluble drum formed of a series of like sections secured to each other, each section being developed from a flat sheet to include a radially extending flat partition portion having a substantially Z -shaped bend therein projecting on opposite sides of the plane thereof and forming axially extending ribs and segmental arcuate flanges respectively at the inner and outer ends of said partition projecting on opposite sides thereof to be concentric with each other and the axis of the drum with their outer ends overlapping and secured to the corresponding flanges of adjacent sections.

4. A bottle holding revoluble drum formed of a series of like sections each developed from a flat sheet to include a, radially extending flat partition portion and segmental arcuate flanges respectively at the inner and outer ends of said partition projecting on opposite sides thereof to be concentric with each other and the axis of the drum, the outer of said flanges terminating short of one end of the partition, the ends of both of said flanges overlapping and being secured to the corresponding flanges of adjacent sections to form of the series an annulus having concentric inner and outer cylindrical walls divided by said partition portions into separate compartments and with the outer cylindrical wall terminating to leave peripheral openings in each of said compartments.

5. A bottle holding revoluble drum formed of a series of like sections each developed from a, flat sheet to include a radially extending flat partition portion and segmental arcuate flanges respectively at the inner and outer ends of said partition projecting on opposite sides thereof to be concentric with each other and the axis of the drum, the outer of said flanges terminating short of one end of the partition, the ends of both of said flanges overlapping and being secured to the corresponding flanges of adjacent sections to form of the series an annulus having concentric inner and outer cylindrical walls divided by said partition portions into separate compartments and with the outer cylindrical wall terminating to leave peripheral openings in each of said compartments, each of said partitions having a radially extending slot therein adjacent to the cutaway portion of said outer segmental flange.

6. A bottle holding revoluble drum formed of a series of like sections each developed from a flat sheet to include a radiall extending flat partition portion and segmental arcuate flanges respectively at the inner and outer ends of said partition projecting on opposite sides thereof to be concentric with each other and the axis of the drum, the outer of said flanges terminating short of one end of the partition, the ends of both of said flanges overlapping and being secured to the corresponding flanges of adjacent sections to form of the series an annulus having concentric inner and outer cylindrical walls divided by said partition portions into separate compartments and with the outer cylindrical wall terminating to leave peripheral openings in each of said compartments, each of said partitions having a radially extending slot therein adjacent to the cutaway portion of said outer segmental flange, and an annular end wall closing the end of the drum adjacent to said cut-away outer flanges.

7. A bottle holding revoluble drum formed. of a series of like sections each developed from a flat sheet to include a radially extending flat partition portion and segmental arcuate flanges respectively at the inner and outer ends of said partition projecting on opposite sides thereof to be concentric with each other and the'axis of the drum, the outer of said flanges terminating short of one end of the partition, the ends of both of said flanges overlapping and being secured to the corresponding flanges of adjacent sections to form of the series an annulus having concentric inner and outer cylindrical walls divided by said partition portions into separate compartments and with the outer cylindrical wall terminating to leave peripheral openings in each of REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Gearhart Oct. 17, 1922 Gearhart Oct. 17, 1922 Morin Jan. 1, 1929 Hardman Nov. 26, 1929 Johnson Mar. 23, 1943 Kuhl Oct. 10, 1944 Payne Oct. 1. 1946 

